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Job Hunting Advice for Developers

justinnoel

Justin Noel

Posted on December 8, 2020

Job Hunting Advice for Developers

I hope you and your family are well in these trying times. This is a tough situation for millions of people right now. However, as software developers, we are pretty fortunate that we can generally work from anywhere and there are lots of opportunities out there.

Having said that, finding work is a job in and of itself. If you're looking for developer jobs, here's a list of sites I've learned about over the years that list jobs or have advice on looking for work. I've also added some of my personal advice. I hope it helps you find the right opportunity!

Remote / Contracting / Freelance Jobs

(Listed in the order of my familiarity with them)

Big Name Job Search Sites

General Info Sites & Tools

Grow Your Community === Grow Your Opportunities

Since becoming a "professional developer", I haven't actually ever had to search for a job. In most cases, they came to me. I've been incredibly blessed. While freelancing from 2013 to 2019, I actually got 3 contracts just through referrals on Twitter (thank you Jeremy Wilken!) and the Ionic Framework forum. Every week, I receive numerous emails and LinkedIn messages from recruiters.

The key to this I my involvement in the developer community. I was very active on the Ionic Framework forum in the early days. I answered questions, posted sample code, etc. As I was learning AngularJS and Ionic Framework, I used the forum to help myself and others. I actively use Twitter to keep aware of the tech I'm interested in and connect with others with the same interests. From time to time, I answer a question on Stackoverflow.

Blogging

Another key to building a community is blogging. Blogging really helps to get your name out there. It showcases your knowledge, growth, and writing skills. Development jobs require the ability to communicate with others, express complex ideas in easy to understand ways, and the ability to teach and educate. Your blog can prove to an employer that you have those skills. It also demonstrates your passion and commitment to your craft. Finally, it will be a great resource for you when you forget how to do something you already solved in the past 🤣.

Linkedin

Keep your Linkedin profile up to date and follow your coworkers (past and present). An expansive network on Linkedin will lead many recruiters to your door. Former coworkers might have become managers and are looking for new hires. Occasionally, instead of blogging about something, post it on Linkedin or put it on your blog and cross-post it on sites like dev.to .

FYI: I advise not accepting Linkedin connections from recruiters. This will pollute your recommendations with more and more recruiters instead of people you've worked with in the past and others you're actually interested in. Instead, just let recruiters message you directly via Linkedin. If you do get a connection request with some job info you're interested in, look the person/company up and contact them directly.

UPDATE: Linkedin a bit too "corporatey" for you? I just discovered another networking service that's starting up now - Plural.com.

Social Media

Use your social feeds to promote others. If you see a great new blog post, tool, or service, post about it! We all love a little recognition. By helping others get noticed, you are also raising awareness of you.

Remember that it is better to give than to receive. Don't be out there shilling yourself non-stop. Instead, engage with others and get to know them on a professional level and later personally (depending on your comfort level). Share info and links that will help others. Once you are part of the community, you'll find others will be there when you need help.

Follow other developers on Twitter and join discussions that interest you. Use Twitter to search for specific topics and follow the people in those discussions.

Local/Virtual Meetups

Use Meetup & Meeting Place (thanks @ChrisAchard) to attend events (virtually of course 🤣). Now that everything is virtual, you don't need to worry about not finding something of interest in your city. Here are some I attend or just discovered:

Almost all of these events start off with a jobs discussions. People looking for work get to announce themselves, and people hiring get to describe their company and open positions. This is a great opportunity to get an interview and get exposure in the community.

At these events, get to know other developers and most importantly the organizers. Once you feel comfortable with the group, offer to present on a topic you're really interested in. Organizers are frequently looking for new people to present. Don't miss this chance to get yourself out there. This can open many doors for you.

Discord and Slack Groups

Find a Discord or Slack group that matches your professional interests and participate. Most often, they have general discussion, jobs, and help channels. Get in there and be part of a community. Examples:

Open Coffee Clubs

Get out of the house (hopefully soon!) and meet new people by attending a local Open Coffee Club. Most of these have gone virtual as well. A broad spectrum of people are at these meetings. Quite often the discussion is about entrepreneurship, new technology, etc. They also frequently start with job discussions. This is a great way to slowly begin networking with professionals in your area.

Unlike "meet and greet" events, you won't be on the spot to do small talk with someone you've never meet before (introverts raise your hand 🖐 - you know what I'm talking about). Instead, these meetings are about group discussions and casual back and forth. You can lurk here safely without fear of being in the spotlight.

Be Nice!

You can post whatever you like on your social media accounts (no judgement from me). However, be aware that your posts, likes, favorites, and even followers are a window into your personality.

If you're kind, caring, and helpful online, potential employers will see this. If you're caustic, mean, and uncaring, potential employers will see this as well.

Again, post whatever you like. Sometimes social media is the right place to rant about a subject to get someone to fix a problem. However, lean towards more positive than negative content.

Employers are of course looking for someone that knows their tech stack or can learn it quickly. Just as importantly, they're looking for someone that's a good fit for their team. How you present yourself in public can be the difference between getting an interview or having your resume ending up in File 13.

Suggestions?

I really hope all this info helps someone in their job hunt. If anyone else has suggestions or other resources, feel free to let me know on Twitter. I'll be happy to add them here with your permission.

Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/@kevnbhagat

💖 💪 🙅 🚩
justinnoel
Justin Noel

Posted on December 8, 2020

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